Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Karlstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlstad: $1,713 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Karlstad
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Karlstad Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Karlstad

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,713

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Karlstad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Karlstad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,713 in Karlstad.

Austin, TX $2,663
Karlstad $1,713

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,643 in Karlstad.

Austin, TX $4,133
Karlstad $2,643

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,572 in Karlstad.

Austin, TX $5,603
Karlstad $3,572

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 55% more expensive than in Karlstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Karlstad 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$14.97 SEK 148

38.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$78.2 SEK 775

8.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.66 SEK 95.7

27.54%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.80 SEK 47.60

17.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.54 SEK 25.21

46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.12 SEK 20.98

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.69 SEK 76.2

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.45 SEK 63.9

39.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.51 SEK 15.00

-25.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.89 SEK 28.64

29.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.68 SEK 36.48

-11.41%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.50 SEK 44.60

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.84 SEK 97.5

31.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$14.17 SEK 140

-0.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$17.97 SEK 178

-9.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.82 SEK 27.95

53.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.64 SEK 26.12

-44.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.09 SEK 30.57

45.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.09 SEK 50.4

-14.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.91 SEK 18.88

35.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.67 SEK 16.58

40.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.61 SEK 25.90

-31.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.31 SEK 12.95

69.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.89 SEK 68.3

43.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$9.86 SEK 97.7

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.37 SEK 23.46

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.09 SEK 20.69

65.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.16 SEK 31.32

-52.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$79.9 SEK 792

-47.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$5.42 SEK 53.7

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.33 SEK 13.16

24.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$61.5 SEK 609

-42.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.77 SEK 17.50

-46.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K $36.0K

$32.2K SEK 319.4K

11.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.7K SEK 323.8K

-17.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$101 SEK 1,001

126.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$15.82 SEK 157

275.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$44.59 SEK 442

56.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$44.52 SEK 441

28.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.95 SEK 168

-3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$13.91 SEK 138

2.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

$123 SEK 1,223

1119.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$105 SEK 1,039

-49.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$38.98 SEK 386

12.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$73.5 SEK 728

15.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$142 SEK 1,403

-27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$834 SEK 8,264

128.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$567 SEK 5,617

124.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,154 SEK 11.4K

217.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$861 SEK 8,528

194.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,710 SEK 36.8K

105.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,794 SEK 27.7K

13.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,220 SEK 31.9K

59.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

3.8

78.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Karlstad

$567 33.1% 55.5% $707

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Karlstad

$370 21.6% 8.6% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Karlstad

$161 9.4% 54.9% $197

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Karlstad

$276 16.1% 21.9% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Karlstad

$161 9.4% 26.2% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Karlstad

$72 4.2% 15.7% $13

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Karlstad

$105 6.1% 78.2% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $834 in Karlstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $78.0 in Karlstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $370 per month, with Karlstad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇪 Karlstad

🕒 Local time

09:16 9:16 AM

16:16 4:16 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

62,797

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Karlstad 8,240 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Karlstad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlstad wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karlstad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $834 in Karlstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,713 in Karlstad – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlstad runs roughly 91% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,713 in Karlstad versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Karlstad but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Karlstad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Karlstad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karlstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.